Regina statue vandalized for third time
REGINA This is not a recording: The statue of Canada’s first prime minister that stands in Regina’s Victoria Park has been spray-painted.
Unlike previous examples of vandalism on the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, this time the statue’s hands were painted red, which is seemingly symbolic of blood on his hands.
Excess red paint from the statue’s left hand appears to have dripped onto the cement base.
The City of Regina said in a statement that it was aware of the vandalism and had dispatched a crew to take care of it. The graffiti was expected to be removed by the end of Tuesday, according to the city.
The city’s statement said it is the third time the statue has been vandalized in the past several years. In 2012, the statue’s face was covered in red paint.
In February 2018, vandals covered Macdonald in green and yellow spray paint.
As the City of Victoria prepared to banish a statue of Macdonald earlier this month, Regina Mayor Michael Fougere told Postmedia News he believes Regina’s version should keep its place.
“It’s difficult,” he acknowledged. “I think we learn from history — not try to erase history — and I would certainly want to see the statue remain.”
The statue has raised divisive questions about Macdonald’s legacy, which is littered with overt racism against Asians and Indigenous people.
Fougere said he would be more receptive to the idea of a plaque to contextualize Macdonald’s role.
“I think that that’s a fair point, to talk about the entire history,” said the mayor. “He built our country. He’s a Father of Confederation. But many things that he did are certainly difficult to accept by today’s standards — and we should know about that.”
Macdonald, who served as superintendent general of Indian affairs during much of his tenure as prime minister, strongly favoured assimilation for Indigenous people in Canada. He presided over the formation of the residential school system. He also opposed Chinese immigration to Canada, warning it could produce a “mongrel” race.
But his views were not uncommon at the time, as historians have pointed out, and some of his political opponents held even more extreme opinions.
Regina Coun. Andrew Stevens said there is no easy answer to the Macdonald statue. But he believes the city must do something to address the role Macdonald and others played in “ethnic cleansing ” in Canada.
The statue has stood in Regina since 1967.